Zardnaar
Deity
Super Tuesday but this year is election year in New Zealand as well.
Since we're a small and pointless country in the grand scheme of things it probably doesn't matter.
NZ Politics 101. We have 5 political parties in power although only 4 of them matter. Proportional representation with 5% threshold to clear to get into parliament. Or you can win electorate seats.
When TBD but probably August or September. The NZ prime minister has the power to do that so it's up to her. She can theoretically do it when riding high in the polls but it's been done before and tends to backfire. Smart money some Saturday in September.
Issues. Probably housing again and marijuana law reform via non binding referendum.
How to vote. Mail in or polling booth. There's 3 polling booths in walking distance of my house, I'll go to the nearest one which is 5 minutes walk away at the local primary school.
The Parties.
In USA terms imagine if the 4 main factions of the Democrats split up.
National.
Leader of the opposition and currently the biggest party. Got more votes in 2017 but Nigel No Mates when it comes to coalition partners. Led by Simon Bridges, unpopular hasn't been rolled due to polling results and lack of better options. Has ruled out working with New Zealand First.
Advantages. They're well funded outspent Labour 3-1 in 2017. Best shot at winning. If NZ first and Greens fail to break 5% or if one of them fails and Labour polls under 40% National wins.
Disadvantages. Unpopular leader, lack of coalition partners as they ate up all the smaller right wing parties.
Labour Party NZ.
Fairly typical Labour Party. Supported by trade unionists, urban liberals and the brown vote. Lead by Jacinda Ardern as Prime Minister. She is popular and charismatic and young (40 iirc). She won the last election for Labour when the last leader realized he couldn't win and stood down 6 weeks out from the election. Labour's support leapt 10-12 points.
Advantages. Current government and Jacinda Ardern.
Disadvantages. Funding and perception since National won more votes.
New Zealand First
Lead by the maverick/charismatic Winston Peters. Ex national man (left 1993) polarising. Love or hate him he is about as close to a popular as NZ gets. Very skilled archetypical polititian. Centrist has coalitioned with National 20 years ago but a lot if bad blood there.
Advantages. Winston Peters. The party is a one man band wagon and has been since Peters founded the party.
Disadvantages. Hovering close to 5%, doesn't always break it. Could be gone next election.
Greens.
Progressive party popular with the youth and urban liberals. Scandal around welfare fraud last election cut their support from 10% to 5% or so. Very popular locally though (25%). Overperformed in the cities and University areas, underperforms badly in rural area. Usually gets 6-8%.
Advantages. Due to special votes consistently gets 1-2% higher and always breaks 5%.
Disadvantages. When Labour isn't falling apart tends to poll poorly. Hovering close to 5% with popular Labour leader.
ACT
Sells itself as a liberal party. Hard right tax cuts, socially liberal though. Puppet party of National via dodgy back room electorate seat deal. They're basically a free seat for National. Poster child for trickle down economics.
Advantages. Said deal with National.
Disadvantages. Everything they're polling around 0.5% most of the time.
Parties Outside Parliament that Might Matter
Maori Party
Might get around 2% of the vote and win a Maori electorate seat giving them 3 or 4 seats. Supported National though and ended up thrown out of parliament. Was to need on utu (revenge) vs Labour. Their own voters figured out neo liberal economics don't do much for poor brown people and migrated back to Labour.
Since we're a small and pointless country in the grand scheme of things it probably doesn't matter.
NZ Politics 101. We have 5 political parties in power although only 4 of them matter. Proportional representation with 5% threshold to clear to get into parliament. Or you can win electorate seats.
When TBD but probably August or September. The NZ prime minister has the power to do that so it's up to her. She can theoretically do it when riding high in the polls but it's been done before and tends to backfire. Smart money some Saturday in September.
Issues. Probably housing again and marijuana law reform via non binding referendum.
How to vote. Mail in or polling booth. There's 3 polling booths in walking distance of my house, I'll go to the nearest one which is 5 minutes walk away at the local primary school.
The Parties.
In USA terms imagine if the 4 main factions of the Democrats split up.
National.
Leader of the opposition and currently the biggest party. Got more votes in 2017 but Nigel No Mates when it comes to coalition partners. Led by Simon Bridges, unpopular hasn't been rolled due to polling results and lack of better options. Has ruled out working with New Zealand First.
Advantages. They're well funded outspent Labour 3-1 in 2017. Best shot at winning. If NZ first and Greens fail to break 5% or if one of them fails and Labour polls under 40% National wins.
Disadvantages. Unpopular leader, lack of coalition partners as they ate up all the smaller right wing parties.
Labour Party NZ.
Fairly typical Labour Party. Supported by trade unionists, urban liberals and the brown vote. Lead by Jacinda Ardern as Prime Minister. She is popular and charismatic and young (40 iirc). She won the last election for Labour when the last leader realized he couldn't win and stood down 6 weeks out from the election. Labour's support leapt 10-12 points.
Advantages. Current government and Jacinda Ardern.
Disadvantages. Funding and perception since National won more votes.
New Zealand First
Lead by the maverick/charismatic Winston Peters. Ex national man (left 1993) polarising. Love or hate him he is about as close to a popular as NZ gets. Very skilled archetypical polititian. Centrist has coalitioned with National 20 years ago but a lot if bad blood there.
Advantages. Winston Peters. The party is a one man band wagon and has been since Peters founded the party.
Disadvantages. Hovering close to 5%, doesn't always break it. Could be gone next election.
Greens.
Progressive party popular with the youth and urban liberals. Scandal around welfare fraud last election cut their support from 10% to 5% or so. Very popular locally though (25%). Overperformed in the cities and University areas, underperforms badly in rural area. Usually gets 6-8%.
Advantages. Due to special votes consistently gets 1-2% higher and always breaks 5%.
Disadvantages. When Labour isn't falling apart tends to poll poorly. Hovering close to 5% with popular Labour leader.
ACT
Sells itself as a liberal party. Hard right tax cuts, socially liberal though. Puppet party of National via dodgy back room electorate seat deal. They're basically a free seat for National. Poster child for trickle down economics.
Advantages. Said deal with National.
Disadvantages. Everything they're polling around 0.5% most of the time.
Parties Outside Parliament that Might Matter
Maori Party
Might get around 2% of the vote and win a Maori electorate seat giving them 3 or 4 seats. Supported National though and ended up thrown out of parliament. Was to need on utu (revenge) vs Labour. Their own voters figured out neo liberal economics don't do much for poor brown people and migrated back to Labour.
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